Victorian Festival

NORTHVILLIANS,

Get ready, we are gearing up for our annual Heritage (Victorian Festival) activities this coming weekend.  Accordingly, I would like to talk about our past – our heritage – but also our present and our promising future.

This last Saturday, we gathered in Town Square to remember our nation’s 9/11 tragedy, honoring this historic 20-year milestone with a solemn ceremony for hundreds of Northvillians.  We also paid tribute to our own first responders who daily put themselves in harm’s way for the betterment of the community.  And very importantly, we expressed deep thanks to all those in our military who protect our freedoms.  

Heritage (Victorian) Festival Week

• Northville has more Victorian-era structures on the National Register than almost any other Michigan Community. It’s part of our DNA, and we celebrate this through our Heritage Festival days.
• This year (after a year off because of COVID), our Chamber of Commerce will once again kick off the festival with a Heritage Victorian parade Friday night, 9/17 at 6:30 PM downtown. The festival will crescendo in the years to come as we near our Bicentennial as a community in 2027.  The future of this annual event could continue to grow into many activities – historic walks, autonomous shuttle tours, Model-T tours along with horse and buggy rides. Historic Riverwalk pathways could also be part of the festival’s future. 

Northville Heritage (Victorian) Festival Highlights of the Past

1927 – Centennial Parade, the Largest in our State’s history thanks to the assistance of Henry Ford.
1989 – The 1st year of the official Victorian Festival, which featured an escape from a Houdini’s straight jacket act at the Town Square Bandshell. Also included were a Victorian Wedding at the Mill Race, a parade, Historic District Tours and the Heritage Costume Ball.
1990 –“The Great Wallendas” performed a high wire act, third graders took historic tours by trolley car and a curriculum was established at the Mill Race for local history education.
1991 – The third year attracted almost 10,000 visitors. We saw the first Mill Race Duck Race and a Victorian Hat Contest.
1995 – The Northville/Novi Branch of the AAUW debuted the Historic Home Tour.
2001 (Post 9/11) – The Festival begins with a moment of silence, the Parade included bagpipers, patriotic music and a rededication of Ford Field.
2005 – A Victorian Saloon opened on the upper level of the Cady Street deck.

Thank you for taking time to learn a little bit about Northville’s past. I believe knowing our past is crucial to planning our future together. I fully encourage you to learn more about our community’s rich history, either at the Mill Race Village or at the library’s local history section. Take time to appreciate its Victorian heritage as you stroll through the historic neighborhoods and downtown.

Again, I thank you for your generosity to those in need in our community, along with your compassion & thoughtfulness through these Pandemic times.     

Keep that Northville Victorian Faith!

Brian Turnbull
Mayor – Northville
BTurnbull@ci.northville.mi.us / 248.505.6849

(Reach out to me anytime or forward this communication to others interested.)

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